Good Shepherd Rehabilitation and Lehigh University have announced a partnership to advance rehabilitation.

Dr. Juan Carlos Aceros and Dr. Shirin Madarshahian, who are on the Lehigh faculty, serve as research scientists at Good Shepherd.

Dr. Aceros focuses on developing technology to support people with mobility and communication challenges to improve their independence.

Dr. Madarshahain explores movement and coordination in people with neurological conditions such as spinal cord injury, stroke and Parkinson’s disease.

The announcement was made Sept. 19 at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital, Upper Saucon Township, during National Rehabilitation Awareness Week.

“This partnership is so exciting because it helps deeply integrate engineering, neuroscience and data science expertise, all things Lehigh University excels at directly into Good Shepherd’s programs and services for people with disabilities” said Good Shepherd Rehabilitation President & CEO Michael Spigel, PT, MHA.

“Together, we can turn research into practical solutions: new tools, techniques, and discoveries that make a real difference in our patients’ lives,” Spigel said.

“By joining forces with Lehigh’s nationally-recognized researchers, we now have greater ability to tackle real-world challenges with innovation grounded with collaboration,” said Spigel.

Good Shepherd specializes in treatment of spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, major multi-trauma, pulmonary disease, respiratory failure, musculoskeletal-orthopedics and complex pediatric conditions. Based in Allentown, Good Shepherd serves more than 530,000 outpatient visits and 2,600 admissions annually.

“Growth of research and enhancing partnerships are important priorities within Lehigh’s Inspiring the Future Makers strategy,” said Nathan Urban, Lehigh University provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.

“Creation of our new University Research Center for Community Driven Assistive Technologies has been a key initiative for Lehigh,” Urban said.

In August 2024, Good Shepherd and Lehigh University formalized the partnership through a signed Memorandum of Understanding, laying out a 10-year vision to include interdisciplinary research collaborations, joint faculty appointments to bridge academic research and clinical practice and a jointly-funded program to support new research.

Led by Lehigh’s College of Health, the partnership creates new opportunities for collaboration from all five colleges at Lehigh University. Faculty members from the College of Health, P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, and College of Education have partnered with Good Shepherd on multiple research projects, including participation by nearly 20 undergraduate and graduate students.

“This partnership is a major milestone for the College of Health and the university as we expand our research impact in health and healthcare,” said Beth Dolan, dean of the College of Health.

Examples of initial projects include:

• Partnering on a way-finding app that uses robotic mapping technologies to develop digital indoor maps that improve accessibility for people with disabilities

• Studying wearable technology that helps people with dysphagia, a swallowing disorder affecting more than 9 million adults annually

• Conducting a Community Health Needs Assessment to understand the needs of children and adults with autism and other neurodivergent conditions in the greater Lehigh Valley

• Re-engineering a recreational therapy table gaming system that offers a source of joy and connection for residents of Good Shepherd Home-Bethlehem, a long-term care home for people with severe disabilities, to play and interact from their wheelchairs

• Identifying barriers to ensure adolescents in the Lehigh Valley continue to access augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices as they transition out of high school.